Halo: Archangel
by The Ragin Pagan
Summary: A novelization of the Xbox 360 game "Halo Wars," created by Ensemble Studios. This FF covers the cutscenes, mission plot, and fan-created back-stories to bridge the gaps. Based off a "T" rated game.
1. Chapter 1

_Halo Wars™ is entirely the creation of Ensemble Studios (Robot Entertainment.) This is a non-profit novelization from the author's interpretation of the game storyline, and events happening in the background. Artistic liberties were taken, including the novelization of certain aspects on most cut-scenes and some events from the game. All creative and conceptual rights go to Ensemble Studios for the characters, events, and some dialogue in Halo Wars™.) [01.29.11: Updated with alterations to the chapters, character focus, and some added content.]  
_

February 4, 2531 / 15:46 (surface time)/ _Spirit of Fire_ Captain's Log / Harvest

_Captain's Log, February 4__th__, 2531. Five years. Five long years. That's how long it took us to get Harvest back. At first it was going well. But then setback after setback. Loss after loss. It made what was going to be a quick and decisive win into five years of Hell. Of course that's all Harvest is today; it's Hell down there. But now it's ours again. _

_Our own personal Hell. _

_Sometimes I wonder if it's worth the fight. After the Covenant glassed our planet, Harvest became a frozen wasteland across much of the northern hemisphere. The Covenant continues to scour the surface, setting up dig sites here and there. We don't know what for, but it keeps them busy. My reason says that Harvest is lost. But my conscience…_

_I find myself determined to fully retake Harvest, and I find that I'm not alone. The UNSC has sent me a civilian scientist, Professor Ellen Anders. She's apparently very bright, and studied under the guidance of Dr. Catherine Halsey. ONI sent her on board the _Spirit of Fire_ to help us determine what the Covenant has found on Harvest. _

_A relatively large concentration of Covenant has been detected, which includes a high-ranked Covenant soldier; something akin to a General in the UNSCDF from what we're able to tell. _

_And so we will fight. Find out what this Covenant concentration is all about, and neutralize a threat to Humanity in the process. Time will tell if our efforts here are worth it._

Ellen Anders woke from her sleep as the roar of Titan-class heavy drop-ships thundered through the hull of the _Spirit of Fire. _She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, groaning._ 'That can't be good for hull integrity,' _Ellen thought to herself as she got up from her bed, if they could be called that. The Phoenix-class colony ship was outfitted with cots that were more comfortable than a steel slab, but not by much.

"_Professor Anders, your presence is needed on the Bridge," _the ship's AI Serina informed her. The AI's British-accented voice carried the tell-tale warble of Artificial Intelligence, something that did nothing to hide her haughty, know-it-all attitude. _"Do try to hurry; the Sergeant has almost arrived at Alpha Base."_

Ellen rolled her eyes as she put her hair up into a bun. She held it with two mahogany chopsticks, which also accented her Arcadian heritage. They were gifts from her father, and something she had fought to bring on board the _Spirit._

She glanced out the four-foot thick windows of her room, watching the Titan drop-ships drift slowly towards the surface of Harvest. The ships had been fitted with ample supplies to continue the war; supplies that not only included a direct comm-channel to the Spirit, but an inside factory to produce UNSC authorized vehicles, a barracks for troops to live in while not in combat, and an advanced excavation system that accessed pre-placed make-shift bases set up during the First Battle of Harvest.

Ellen left the view and headed towards the door to her quarters. The door automatically slid open as the professor grabbed her coat. She slipped it on over her casual wear as she walked towards the Bridge, paying little to no attention to the Marines that shared the corridors with her.

She soon arrived at the Bridge, passing through the doors as they opened. She glanced to the ship's Captain, James Cutter, before turning her attention to the holo-map table in the center of the room. Her gaze was met by a projected image of Serina, bringing a silent groan from Anders. The AI was displayed as wearing casual lab dress; black slacks and a white blouse, though the colors were varying shades of blue.

"Sergeant Forge, report," Cutter said, giving the Professor a friendly nod as a greeting before turning to face the Communications Display.

A monitor on the adjacent wall updated to a broadcasted view of Sergeant John Forge, currently on his way towards the most recent concentration of Covenant activity.

"_Definitely plenty of bad guys down here, Captain,"_ Forge said, his voice muted through the camera's microphone. _"And they found something under the ice."_

"Dammit," Cutter swore under his breath, "that complicates our mission." He addressed the Professor. "Anders, what have you got?"

"Captain, scans of the northern polar regions shows some interesting Covenant activity on the surface," Ellen said as she gestured to the displayed topography, "There's some kind of structure down there." The holo-table displayed an accurate, constantly updated map of the area. The structure was highlighted in red.

"What do you think they're looking for?" Serina asked, before the Captain was able to.

The Captain leaned on the table, studying the area carefully. "That's what we're here to find out. We're to bring Alpha Base up to operational status and take control of that site." He pointed to the outlined area on the map for emphasis.

Anders nodded eagerly. "I'll get my equipment ready, Captain." As she turned to the door, she was stopped by Forge's objection.

"_Lady, there's no way you're coming down here on the first bird!"_ he said, a hint of concern in his stern voice.

Anders smiled at the screen, though she rolled her eyes in annoyance as she exited the door. It annoyed her to no end when Forge patronized her, and he did it quite often. She made her way back to her room with every intention to head planet-side as she tossed her lab-coat on her bed, reviewing notes on the Covenant's dig site, as well as related intel to better prepare her for the trek into their discovery.

"_Professor Anders," _Serina interrupted, _"A Pelican will be available to transport you to the planet surface, Pelican Bravo two-nine. Forge has encountered Covenant forces at what remains of Alpha Base. I recommend you postpone your excursion until the area has been cleared of alien resistance."_

Anders rolled her eyes, looking up from her notes though the AI wasn't physically present. "Thank you, Serina, duly noted." She said sarcastically, "I will wait if it is absolutely necessary, though my moral may be drastically impacted to pick through meaningless observations."

"_Most excellent, Professor," _The AI replied with a frustrating level of impartiality, _"I will relay your decision to Captain Cutter and Bravo 29."_

Anders sighed and returned to her notes. _'Well,' _she thought to herself, _'At least I'm able to get off the ship.'_


	2. Chapter 2

February 4, 2531 / 15:48 / Harvest

Forge's Warthog skidded to a halt. Smoke rose on the horizon, where Alpha Base was marked on the 'Hog's NAV. "Ah, damn," he groaned. With a slight _'click,'_ he radioed the _Spirit of Fire_. "Captain, Alpha is toast," he said as he took a quick look around, "There's nothing for me to pull back to. Suggest you hold that backup for a while."

He waited for a moment, and then his comm hissed as the Captain replied, _"We need to turn that around Sergeant, Serina, what's our status?"_ The AI's voice came through, somewhat clearer than the Captain's, due to being digital.

"_Sir, we've got a lot of troops retreating from Alpha Base." _Her voice then took on a more suggestive tone, _"If Sergeant Forge can regroup with them, our numbers may be sufficient to retake the base."_

Forge groaned. "Why do I always get put on clean up?" He then clicked the respond button, "Roger that, I'll round up any and all survivors and get Alpha back."

He then threw the Warthog into full throttle. The wheels spun on the ice, causing the vehicle to fishtail violently. Soon it gripped, and the 'Hog rocketed forward. The road ahead was a broken, twisted mess. Rubble from fallen Orbital Tethers, destroyed vehicles, and broken segments of road made for a difficult trip.

Forge saw a group of five Marines in the distance as they fought behind an overturned Warthog. He gunned the 'Hog to ram it violently into the group of Elites that had the Marines pinned. The steering-wheel shook violently in his hands as the tires mangled the Elite's through their body armor. The vehicle came to a rest after making the Covenant troops into road-kill. He smirked at the Marines. "You boys from Alpha?" he asked.

A Marine - a Corporal according to his IFF - approached the Warthog. "We were the first ones out, sir," he responded, "Mind if we hitch a ride with you? We lost one of our 'Hogs."

The Sergeant nodded with a grin. "Fall in behind me, we're taking Alpha back."

The Corporal climbed into the turret of Forge's Warthog. Forge had taken a variant from the _Spirit_ that featured a gauss turret rather than the standard Light Anti-Aircraft Gun. A second Marine climbed into his passenger seat, while the final three recovered the tilted Warthog.

The two Warthogs soon sped off across the ice. _"Tango…ne-four, you need…out of here!"_ Forge's radio crackled, the transmission broken up due to battle.

"You heard 'em, boys," he shouted over the rumble of the engine, "time to provide an escort service!"

The Warthogs raced on to aid the downed Marine squad. The Covenant forces never stood a chance against the combined firepower of a LAAG, Gauss Cannon, and eight MA5B's. No sooner had they helped the Marines right their two downed Warthogs than the radio hissed again. _"This is Tango-three-three. We are under heavy fire, that turret is chewing us up!"_ a Marine desperately shouted over the channel.

"Good grief," Forge groaned, "It never ends, does it?" The Marines chuckled as the continued on the broken road towards the signal's location. As they arrived, one of the Warthogs raced ahead. "No! Fall back, fall back!" Forge shouted over the comm.

Bright indigo plasma lanced through the vehicle. The super-heated gas warped the metal and shattered the glass. Several bolts lanced through the engine block, which caused the vehicle to explode violently.

"Damn!" Forge swore as he hit the wheel of the Warthog. "All units advance cautiously! Focus M9 grenades at the base of the Shade turret; roll them if you have to."

Forge maneuvered his Warthog to a higher but safer location. "Corporal," he ordered, "Bring the cannon around!"

The Marine nodded, and the Gauss cannon swiveled to face the Shade. Three grenades went off under the craft, which severely harmed the Elite manning it.

The Corporal fired off two shots. The Gauss round lanced through the turret, the superheated air that surrounded the rounds melting the edges of the metal. The turret pod that rested in the tripod base crashed down heavily as the grav-lift supports failed. The pod went up in a blue flash of plasma-flame to incinerate the turret's operator.

Forge smirked briefly as his gunner cheered enthusiastically and threw a fist into the air. "Don't get too excited yet, Corporal," the Sergeant said grimly, "We've still got Alpha to clear out." As he said that, a group of Marines headed over to his Warthog. "You boys out of Alpha too?"

One of the Marines nodded, "Yessir, T-33. Damn Covies wrecked the whole place; there's nothing left. We got out just in time, but the boys in Bravo-fourty three weren't so lucky."

"Head back towards Alpha Base," Forge instructed, "We're going to work on taking it back. Your brothers won't have died for nothing."

The Marine nodded gratefully. "Yessir, will do, sir." He turned to his squad. "You heard the man, fellas, fall out! We got some clean-up work ahead of us, so check your clips and keep a frag handy."

Forge and his small squad of Warthogs sped on ahead of the Marines. There was a slight crunch off to Forge's right as one of the 'Hogs ground its way through a rouge group of Grunts. _"Eugh, there's Grunt bits all over the grill!"_ The radio crackled as the driver complained.

Forge cracked a grin, though it quickly fell as Alpha Base came into view. A shimmering blue forcefield blocked the entrance to the abandoned base. Forge furrowed his brow, and then drove straight at the barrier.

The field seemed to bend inwards for a brief moment before it sprung back into place. Forge's Warthog scooted back and the tires screeched against the frozen pavement. "Damn," he swore. "Vehicles can't get through this thing."

As he was getting ready to leave the Warthog, his radio crackled. _"We've seen those things before, sir. Infantry's clear to get through, but anything mechanical is somehow kept out."_ A Marine from T-33 said, _"ONI thinks it has something to do with the engine's vibrations; it somehow makes the field harder, but weapons can pass right through. Sit tight, we'll take care of the generator."_

"Thanks much, soldier," Forge said, "just don't carry an alarm in your back pocket." He grinned as he joked with the squad. A chuckle came over the comm.

"_Will do sir."_

The Marines passed through the barrier with only minimal resistance. Soon the short bark of MA5B's could be heard, though they quickly stopped. _"That thing's too strong,"_ the Marine said to his squad, _"Use grenades!" _Several smaller explosions were heard, followed by a larger one. The barrier blinked a few times before clearing entirely. _"Jackals!"_ a Marine shouted.

Forge threw the Warthog into drive. "Barrier's down, let's do this gentlemen! Open fire!"

The bird-like aliens rushed at the squad of Marines, their Plasma Pistols glowing menacingly. The Marines took aim and fired their Assault Rifles in short, controlled bursts. The trio of Warthogs raced by, the two LAAG's and the Gauss Cannon made short work of the Jackals, which freed up the road for the Marines.

Forge's Warthog skidded to a halt as they entered the base. The other two followed suit. "Hold position," Forge ordered. On the horizon two Wraith tanks sat in the middle of the base. '_This might get ugly,' _Forge thought. He quickly radioed the Captain. "_Spirit of Fire_, this is Forge. We've got heavy armor on the horizon; two Wraith tanks. We can't proceed without clearing that mess up, and I'm all out of Scorpions."

After a while, the response came. _"Air support en-route, Sergeant,"_ Cutter's voice said over the radio, "_They'll take out the armor; the rest is yours."_

"Roger that, _Spirit_," Forge responded, "I'll hold position."

Forge waited anxiously, hoping that the Wraiths didn't notice them. Soon a scream of supersonic-speed aircraft approached the battlefield. _"482__nd__ to Sgt. Forge; package delivery in progress,"_ the radio crackled, _"Enjoy the show." _

The Marine's view turned to the sky, and a cheer broke out as two Shortsword bombers shot overhead. Several bright flashes blinked on the bottoms of the bombers as they released a carpet-bomb payload. The explosives buried two lines into the ground that lead up to the Wraiths; some of the missiles embeded in the surprised Elite's vehicle. A second later, the explosives detonated violently, cutting a swathe of destruction in their path.

The Shortswords lanced overhead again. The wake from their wings dug artful curls into the thick black smoke that billowed from the Wraiths' wreckage. The Marines gave another cheer, anxious to clear out the rest.

"Roads clear boys," Forge shouted, "Let's pick up the hitchhikers!" The small army charged into the base to quickly engage the Covenant forces. Several Grunts were lead by a significantly smaller number of Elite warriors. As soon as an Elite fell the squad of Grunts that followed would scatter, utterly bereft of discipline.

The small Covenant army was quickly mopped up. The UNSC forces took few casualties. '_Either they're sloppier,' _Forge thought as the final Elite fell, '_or we're a little better.' _He looked to the Corporal on his turret and cracked a grin. "Well, that was the most fun I've had all week."

The Marines chuckled, "Whaddya mean, sir? I'd have a load of fun if I got to rescue a few Marines in distress."

"Well, let's face it Corporal, you're not much of a damsel, no matter how distressed." The Marines chuckled, soon interrupted by the radio as the _Spirit _checked their progress.

"_Sergeant Forge, situation?"_

Forge hit the radio, "_Spirit of Fire_, this is Forge. Area Clear, situation normal."

A Pelican dropship thundered into the base that brought more Marines from the battlefield. Forge held the radio closer, having to speak louder over the noise, "Orders?"

The radio fuzzed back, _"Though Alpha Base is ours again, you may want to scout the area, Sergeant Forge. Professor Anders has located a foreign structure that the Covenant has worked hard to uncover. Serina will upload its coordinates to your NAV immediately."_

"Roger that, _Spirit_," Forge responded, "I'll radio back with the reconnaissance shortly. Forge out."


	3. Chapter 3

February 4, 2531 / 22:52 / Harvest

Forge's Warthog headed carefully up a steep, icy hillside towards the indicated NAV point. He shut the engine off as a structure came into view. It was nothing more than an enormous door buried in the side of an ice-covered mountain, yet a small force of Covenant scrambled busily around it. He climbed from the Warthog and went carefully to the cliff's edge.

A Banshee hummed overhead. Its searchlights skimmed past the Sergeant and his vehicle, and Forge quickly flattened himself against a rock wall. His heart skipped a beat as his hand strayed to the M6C Magnum at his side. After consideration, he got down and crawled slowly to the lip of the cliff.

He pulled a pair of digital-enhancement binoculars from the back of his belt. "Let's just take one last look-see," he whispered to himself as he brought the instrument into focus. He was able to make out several Elites, as well as dozens of Grunts moving what looked like explosives near to the doorway. It looked like they had planned for something big, possibly dangerous.

An Elite dressed in silver armor stood watch over the entire operation. Given that the UNSC had never seen an Elite wear silver armor, Forge could only guess that this was the supposed "General" of the Covenant forces on Harvest.

A gold-armored Elite – Forge recognized it to be a Zealot – approached the General. The superior Elite seemed to snap at the subordinate, who then moved quickly towards the door, apparently scolded by the General for some reason.

Suddenly the door gave off a sharp _'crack!' _as the ice that covered the opening split. A bright blue light shone from inside the doors, growing as two Elites pulled the massive sheets of metal open.

"Well, well," Forge mused as he lowered his binoculars, "Open sesame." He crept back from the edge and made his way slowly back to his Warthog to upload the data he recorded to the _Spirit of Fire._

February 4, 2531 / 23:07 / _Spirit of Fire_ Observation Deck

Up in orbit, Ellen Anders worked fervently to decipher the information that Forge had sent her fifteen minutes before. Down below, Harvest rotated slowly. Dark circles of destruction dotted the surface; smaller spots of orange speckled their confines.

Several recovered Covenant devices were contained in airtight containers that littered the Observation Deck. The UNSC, namely Professor Anders, was hard at work to find some way to utilize the Covenant technology. Anders' workspace was covered with dozens of pages; notes from Professor Kikamuri on the _Pillar of Autumn_ - who had found a way to power the main plasma mortar of a Wraith tank with humanity's hydrogen power technology – and even notes from Doctor Hasley's work on ways to provide shields to her MJOLNIR project; notes that Anders had corrected in various places with vivid red ink.

Doctor Halsey. Ellen couldn't stand the woman. She had been taught by the supposed "brilliant" Doctor, and saw her as quite the hypocrite. Catherine Halsey clung zealously to her Spartan-II program, and turned a blind eye to the ethical issues of the procedure. The Spartan candidates were taken when they were only six and thrust into a military life. No child should have to endure that. Ellen had yet to see a Spartan in action, though she was certain that it would be no different than a Marine in combat.

Ellen vaguely heard footsteps approach her from behind. She paid them no mind, still upset with the need to delay her trip off the ship. She had been cramped on the _Spirit _for more months than she cared to remember, and she longed for a breath of fresh air, not artificial, recycled air. Right now all that she wanted was to focus on her work to quickly pass the time.

"What made you choose my Observation Deck as your lab, Professor?" Captain Cutter asked with a slight tint of annoyance to his voice.

Anders looked up from her work to glance at the Captain, her gaze soon returning to the monitor in front of her. "I like the view," she replied simply, "it adds… perspective to my work." A slight smirk of satisfaction stretched the corners of her lips as she received a positive readout indicating the structure had power, and was within an acceptable operational status.

The Professor glanced down at Harvest. She could see the continent that they were currently occupying; the one that the foreign structure was located on. The peaceful sight from orbit belied the chaos down below, as the _Spirit of Fire's_ radio communications constantly reminded the Professor.

"Hmph." The Captain smirked, mildly amused. "Forge doesn't think it's safe for you to go down there yet," he continued as Anders typed fervently on her keyboard, "He's quite insistent." The Sergeant had made a point to radio in each and every instance of Covenant sighted on the surface. Ellen had kept count. Three-hundred and forty-eight grunts, seventy-two Elites, and over three dozen Jackals.

"_I _can be quite insistent too, Captain." Ellen replied, a firm tone to her voice. She looked over her shoulder, annoyance clear in her eyes. "I can take care of myself." Ever since she had arrived on the ship, it had been 'Ma'am, let me get this door,' and, 'Here, let me get your tray for you.' Never mind that the doors opened automatically and the trays weighed no more than a standard curriculum Physics textbook. The constant patronization had worn Anders' patience thin, and she became very short tempered with most of the crew.

Captain Cutter shifted in the awkward silence. "Any idea what it is we've got down there?" he asked.

Ellen reached beside her, grabbing her backpack. "It's all theories right now," Ellen replied as she stood to face the Captain, "and I'll know a lot more once I get down there."

She started to head for the door, but Cutter stopped her for a moment and laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm approving the mission," he informed her, though concern lined his voice, "but the slightest sign of danger and I'm pulling you out. Is that understood?"

Anders face hardened; now even the Captain was treating her like a civilian, despite her slightly elevated status and brief combat training. "Understood, Captain," she said coldly, though a smirk of satisfaction pulled at her lips as she passed. The door hissed shut behind her, leaving Anders to her thoughts. A bright blue flash shone in her peripheral vision. _Or not, _she thought. _Dammit._

"I assume the Captain has sent you somewhere, Professor?" a snide British voice asked her. The ship's AI seemed to walk next to Ellen, a miniature companion projected from a holo-strip in the wall.

"Yes, Serina," she answered, "I'm headed down to Harvest now." The AI loved to make small-talk, which took from valuable time that Ellen could better use for more productive means.

"Hmm. I'm surprised the Captain still approved that after the news of Alpha Base," the AI mused, "Forge certainly isn't going to like it."

Ellen highly doubted that Serina was surprised at the Captain's decision, as she had access to the ships comm systems. "Forge will just have to deal with it," Ellen responded, "I need a closer look at whatever it is the Covenant has dug up." She walked into the Flight Deck, noting with annoyance that Serina still followed her. Pelican Bravo 29 waited for her, the pilot leaning lazily against the troop-deck, sometimes called the "Blood Tray" by the Marines.

"Mmm, yes. Well, mind the bumps, and try to keep your head down. We wouldn't want to lose the brightest mind on the Spirit, now would we?" the AI said with a condescending air. Being an AI, she was the only one on deck to beat Anders' IQ of 180, though Ellen hardly counted it as her intelligence was, of course, artificial.

She climbed into the Pelican, as the pilot headed into the cockpit. "Try not to overload yourself, Serina," she replied with disdain, "I'd hate for the Captain's pet to go rampant." The hatch doors closed, Anders following the pilot into the cockpit.

"_Best of luck,"_ the AI's voice came over the Pelican's radio, _"and do say hello to the Sergeant for me. He hardly ever radios in."_


	4. Chapter 4

February 4, 2531 / 22:52/ Unknown Artifact, Harvest

Ripa 'Moramee, the 17th Arbiter in a glorious line of Arbiters, stood on a small hill that overlooked his troops. They had been hard at work for the past three hours uncovering the Forerunner building, but the Arbiter pushed them to work harder.

Commander Re'gish Wamik approached the Arbiter. The civilian Sangheili had the precarious task of serving as the Arbiter's Field Master. Wamik took the Arbiter's orders to the troops and oversaw most dig-sites on this planet.

Ripa turned to the Sangheili after a moment. "The Hierarchs grow impatient," he growled, showing the same amount of impatience, "We can delay no longer." The Prophets, the religious leaders of the Covenant, had constantly pressed the ground forces to uncover this relic as quickly as possible.

"What if the infection defiles the relic?" the Field Master asked.

The humans had been constantly pestering the Covenant, despite their planet's state as nothing more than a frozen ruin. That they had not stumbled blindly upon the relic thus far was a great stroke of luck, and the Arbiter would see to it that they did not set one heretical foot inside the relic. It was a stretch to allow this cowardly Sangheili to witness the Forerunner's majesty.

"I care not for your little life!" The Arbiter snapped at the subordinate, "Open the relic," he growled.

Re'gish bowed and hurried off to relay the message.

Word spread quickly down the line of workers, and finally reached two Sangheili who stood beside the exposed doors. They gripped the seam, one on each side, and pulled. The might of two Sangheili forced the door open. It creaked with age and strain as the ice cracked and popped as it was broken from the metal.

Ripa shifted as a shiver gave him the suspicion that something watched him. He turned to glare at the cliffs behind him, almost certain that the humans had followed them. He descended from the miniature perch, making his way to the Relic's door.

He paid little heed to the religious ceremonies that were being carried out around him. He cared little for the Great Journey. Most Sangheili held zealously to the Prophet's promise of ascendance, but Ripa only reveled in combat. If he was to become a god, it would be on the battlefield. The Great Journey was nothing but a distant final destination to him.

Commander Wamik fell into step next to the Arbiter, who cast a sidelong glace at the Field Master. "Have you informed the Hierarchs?" Ripa growled.

"Yes, Arbiter," the Field Master responded. "The Prophet of Regret has received a full report of the Relic's purpose. He awaits your presence in the Cartographer."

"Then you would waste my time with talk!" Ripa thundered. His anger halted the civilian Sangheili in his steps. "Go and maintain your Unggoy, He-who-has-no-honor. Leave matters of importance to the warriors!" The Arbiter stormed off and left the Field Master in the halls.

He knew that his words would sting Re'gish for some time. The Field Master was an odd addition to the ground forces. He had no warrior title, and only bore the name of his keep – Wamik. He was unable to participate in battle, and had no say in matters that concerned the war with the humans.

The Arbiter entered into a large, open chamber. An enormous Forerunner structure hung from the center of the room, yet the Arbiter paid no mind to his surroundings. His only concern was a blue hologram that floated a foot or so above the ground.

The image of the Prophet of Regret did little to diminish his aura of power, or his short temper. His fingers tapped impatiently on the arm of his Gravity Throne. Two Sangheili Honor Guard stood guard near the hologram. They had no practical purpose, though they would kill any that threatened the Prophet all the same.

"Ah, Arbiter," Regret sighed, though his anger and impatience heavily lined his voice, "so good of you to join us."

Ripa bowed, wasting no time. "Hierarch. The humans are closing, and will soon be upon us." Though the news was urgent, the Arbiter relished the opportunity to finally eradicate a number of humans.

"No matter," Regret said as he waved the news aside, "The information you have gathered here is most appetizing. However, we must protect what we have learned here."

The Arbiter's grip tightened on the concealed hilts of his Energy Swords, anxious for battle.

"Set the charges, and destroy this place," the Prophet commanded.

Ripa straightened in surprise as his hands quickly released from his swords. His opportunity at battle would be delayed again, as he would not go against the Prophet's word. "Destroy this holy Relic? Surely you jest!" he protested. Though he held the structure with no religious attraction, the thought of destroying the artifact was shocking.

"The Journey requires _sacrifice!" _Regret shouted. The Gravity Throne swayed as the Prophet lunged forward in his seat. "Set the charges," he repeated as he rested back against the Throne. "Then return to us. Our patience is not infinite!" he reminded the head-strong Arbiter. A dangerous menace to his voice was all that the Arbiter needed to know that failure to obey would result in great punishment.

Ripa bowed in respect. "It will be done." As he left the Cartographer, several emotions ran rampant in his mind. First and foremost was anger at his inability to openly combat the humans. Less than that was the confusion in his charge to destroy the Forerunner Relic.

He approached the Field Master. The Elite snapped to attention in full expectation of another reprimand. "Field Master," Ripa growled, "I have a task that you _will _carry out." His voice gave no option.

"Yes, Arbiter," Re'gish said humbly, "your word is the word of the Hierarchs."

Ripa's voice did little to filter his anger and confusion. "You are to have your Unggoy set the plasma charges and link them to a larger device. Once that is done, you will report to me through a holo-drone, and I will give you leave to destroy this Relic."

Disbelief showed openly on the Elite's face. "Arbiter you cannot be serious!" he dared to question the order.

"I do not falter!" The Arbiter thundered. He grabbed Re'gish by the neck and slammed the Elite into a wall. "If you cannot obey, then you are weak. I gave you a simple order – one order! That order came straight from the High Prophet of Regret. As you question me, you questioned him." With a _'crack!' _of energy, the Arbiter drew one of his Energy Swords. He plunged the weapon into Re'gish's chest and tossed the corpse aside. As he disengaged his weapon, he spat at the fallen Elite. "Pathetic and weak."

The Elites and Grunts standing nearby had frozen before the spectacle. The Elites showed a faint look of sorrow at such a lack of honor, and the Grunts quivered in terror. When an Elite was angry, it was usually the Grunts who died first. Ripa thrust an armored claw at the closest Elite. "You! Minor. Did you hear the Prophet's word?"

The Elite nodded, "Yes, Arbiter."

"You are now to carry it out. Fail in doing so, and your fate will be the same as the late Field Master. Is this understood?"

The Elite nodded again, and set off to gather the necessary explosives. The Arbiter stormed towards a Spirit dropship that waited to take him back to a Covenant Carrier in orbit.

February 4, 2531 / 23:12/ Covenant Assault Carrier, _Pious Expectation_

The Arbiter strode onto the Command Deck of the _Pious Expectation. _"Arbiter," the Shipmaster said, "Your command?"

"Take us to High Charity," Ripa growled, "And do not delay."

"Sire!" A gunner shouted, "I've detected a human ship. Shall I fire upon it?"

The Arbiter's fists clenched in anger. He desired greatly to destroy the ship, but such an act would conflict with the Prophet's order to return. He noticed that the Shipmaster waited for his word, and had apparently relinquished his command for the duration of the Arbiter's stay.

"Your command, Arbiter?"

"Continue to High Charity; leave the vermin to their doom. They will not last long against our forces here."

The Shipmaster nodded, and then gave the command to make a slipspace jump to High Charity. The _Pious Expectation _shuddered as a bright blue hole opened before them. The ship then sailed into the rift, which closed shortly after they went in.


	5. Chapter 5

February 4, 2531 / 23:15/ _Spirit of Fire_

Captain Cutter studied the holo-table in front of him where a tactical layout of the Relic and the Covenant forces that surrounded the structure was displayed. The map was constantly updated to show the movements of the UNSC forces and Covenant alike.

Suddenly the deck's alarm system flared to life. A siren blared repetitively as red lights flashed. The crew sprung into action. Some rushed to navigational stations, while others ran to operate the remote-controlled turrets and missile silos. "Serina, status!" The Captain snapped urgently.

The AI appeared quickly as her body glowed brightly due to the rapid process of information. "One Covenant Assault Carrier," she called up a holographic display of the two ships, "Forty-seven kilometers and closing. No active weapon preparation detected."

Cutter eyed the display carefully, glancing over to the observation window. "Keep an eye on it Serina. Weaponry, what's your status?" He looked to the weapons operators.

"Point-defense gun ready, target still out of range."

"Archer and ATAF pods hot, target within range."

"All weapons hold fire," Captain Cutter ordered sternly, "wait for my mark." He watched the Covenant ship intently, though he kept a particular watch on their energy readout. Suddenly the data input spiked. "All power to the weapons, key up Archer pods and ATAF missiles!" Cutter shouted. The lights dimmed as the necessary power was drawn.

"Captain, high radiation levels detected." Serina said urgently.

The Covenant Assault Carrier loomed into view, still a good distance away from the _Spirit of Fire_, yet close enough to cause the crew discomfort. A large cloud of static began to form on the bow, and soon it spread into a shimmering blue circle.

"It looks like they've prepared a slipspace jump sir," Serina said calmly, "Should we perhaps save our weapons for a better time?"

"All weapons stand down!" Cutter commanded, "Serina, equalize power to the ship." He watched as the sleek Covenant ship disappeared into the portal, which soon closed. "Why do you think they left, Serina?" Captain asked, more to himself than anything.

"Perhaps they found Sergeant Forge as unlikable as the Professor does," Serina replied cynically.

Cutter smirked. It was no secret on the _Spirit_ that Anders held a grudge against most the male crew, but Forge took the top-slot of her displeasure. "Serina, get me a field report from Sergeant Forge," Cutter said sternly, "I want to know what's going on down there."

February 4, 2531 / 23:50/ Unknown Artifact, Harvest

Ellen Anders clung tightly to her seat as Pelican drop-ship B-29 descended rapidly towards the Relic. She had changed into clothing more appropriate for Harvest's frozen surface in the troop-deck of the Pelican, though she had been highly uncomfortable in doing so.

"Alpha Base, this is Bravo twenty-nine, heavy inbound," the pilot drawled, "I've got the Professor aboard."

"Not for long you won't," Ellen snapped in irritation, "not unless you level out!"

"Calm down, lady," the Pilot grinned, "Don't get your panties in a bunch."

Ellen eyed him fiercely, though her fury was diverted as Forge came over the radio. _"Uh, roger that Bravo-29."_ He said with obvious irritation, _"There's still a lot of Covenant down here, recommend you hold off."_

The pilot began to respond, but Ellen cut him off. "Sergeant Forge you are currently located on a Class-5 Artifact. ONI has specifically requested my presence to decipher any technology having to do with the Covenant." She said sternly, "By ONI ordinance 3A Sector 2; Any ONI personnel may override rank if it pertains directly to their mission. As such I have denied your request, and _will_ land at the Artifact." She paused for a moment, "And John? I'm sure any Covenant left will be taken care of before they become too big a threat."

The pilot glanced at her, a stunned look on his face. "Well," he said, "you sure told him. Y'know, I actually like a gal that can stick up for her-"

"Shut up and fly the damn bird," Ellen snapped back, quickly silencing the pilot and adding more tension to the atmosphere of the cockpit.

Forge watched in irritation as the Pelican touched down outside the Artifact. He still felt that a combat zone was no place for a civilian, ONI or no. He personally felt that the Captain had no solid reason to approve her so-called "mission."

"You alright sir?" A Marine asked curiously.

"I'm fine, soldier. Secure the LZ." For the past half-hour he and his squad had fought their way from the reactivated Alpha Base to this "Artifact." Though the battle had proved a relatively easy one, a few of the UNSC forces had been compromised. The Covenant, in an odd turn of events, had taken several Warthog Reconnaissance squads captive, only to execute them before the UNSC could recover them.

Anders climbed out of the Pelican, an openly furious look on her face. She put as much distance between herself and the dropship as she could, her breath fogging in rapid bursts.

"Bumpy ride, Professor?"

Ellen brushed past him and intentionally shoved into his shoulder. "Don't give me any trouble, Sergeant," she snapped, "let's just get this over with." She made her way to the now open doors to the Artifact, only to be met with a heavily damaged Covenant power cell.

Forge followed her, a brow raised curiously as she sighed. "What, did we do something wrong?" he asked.

"You don't leave me much to work with," Anders replied, "Must you destroy everything?"

"Hey," Forge defended, "for your information that was linked up to several explosives all over this structure. If we hadn't taken it out, they would have blown. That would have left you with nothin' at all."

"And you didn't stop to think that it would trigger the explosives if you destroyed it?"

Forge's eyebrow furrowed as he went silent. Anders was able to tell with satisfaction that the question both stumped and annoyed him.

"Never mind," the Professor said, "Let's just get to the main room."

"This way," Forge led her, "My men already cleared out the Covenant inside."

"Odd that they would leave their own to die in an explosion," Anders observed, "I wonder if any of them know what pity is."

Forge shrugged. "From the looks of it they were still setting up explosives; they may have had time to get out." He stopped at a console next to a deep chasm. Across the gap, Ellen could see the vague outline of a large, artificial stalactite, most likely part of a larger machine.

Forge grunted in frustration, trying to push a pedestal to activate it. "Hey, Professor; A little help here?"

Ellen pushed him away, taking a look at the console. A few symbols seemed familiar, but one in particular stood out to her; a pair of parallel lines. She pressed the button, looking up as a thin beam of vibrant blue light stretched the gap.

"Is it solid?" A Marine asked. To test it, the Marine tossed a loose chunk of shrapnel onto the light. The shard of metal bounced twice before it finally rested on the light-bridge. Ellen gasped softly; it was marvelous, though it confused and frightened her at the same time.

"You ever study anything like this?" Forge broke Anders from her amazement.

"That's why I'm here, Sergeant." She replied as she stepped onto the light-bridge. The squad followed her as she brought out a camera to record the surroundings and gather energy readings. They moved slowly and uneasily at first, but soon came to grips with the fact that the bridge was more solid than it appeared as they pushed on into the structure.


	6. Chapter 6

February 4, 2531 / 00:10/ Unknown Artifact, Harvest

Anders walked cautiously alongside Sergeant Forge as they approached a large console. He smelled of combat; a musky mixture of blood – both Human and Covenant - gunfire gas residue, and adrenaline fueled sweat. Not an entirely pleasant smell, but one that the young Professor had grown accustomed to over time.

She looked around at the massive structure that surrounded them. Enormous arches swept upward from the ground; all of them lead to a large, chandelier-like structure in the center of the chamber. The structure hung over an artificial island, surrounded by a moat that fell down into a chasm. If Anders were to guess, the chasm was at least five kilometers deep, possibly more.

"Sergeant," she asked, "is this what the aliens were after?" She continued to follow him, turning as she walked to get a better view of the structure.

"Seems so, ma'am," Forge responded, "They sure paid a price defending it." All around the group, several Marines worked to gather the fallen Elite and Grunt bodies and move them out of the way. "All quiet now," he confirmed.

Anders rolled her eyes; she wasn't an idiot. It was evident that a battle had occurred, and for the past ten minutes they hadn't encountered any Covenant forces. Still, the Sergeant had given her an M6C Pistol as a precaution. To tell her what she already knew was redundant.

Her annoyance soon diminished as they crossed a small bridge leading to a large, ornate console. Forge held up a hand, a silent order to his men for them to hold position. '_Well,' _Anders thought to herself, '_I'm not one of his men.' _She walked ahead and carefully approached the foreign console.

A large blue orb, comprised of perhaps a thousand hexagons, sat in the center of an artistically crafted base. A symbol was on each geometric facet, symbols that once again seemed familiar to Anders, though she couldn't place them. As she pondered the structure, she reached out absently to touch the orb.

"Hey!" Forge grabbed her hand to stop her before she touched the orb's surface. "What're you doing?"

She looked at him, annoyed. "Nothing ventured," she said as she pulled her arm from his grip, "nothing gained." Once again she reached to the orb, this time purposefully. The surface tingled with energy, a calm electrical current that sent tendrils of excitement and anticipation down Anders' spine. The orb rotated as her hand approached. It groaned with age yet still moved gracefully in the confines of its base.

As she touched the surface, the hexagons under her fingertips glowed a bright blue. A split second later a pulse of energy raced along the orb. The structure in front of them rumbled deeply as its inner mechanics moved for the first time in centuries. Anders took a tentative step back, watching the machine with a mixed look of worry and wonder.

A thin beam of light pulsed in the center to connect the ground structure to the ceiling mechanic. With a sudden flash it expanded rapidly. Anders blinked to clear a brief moment of blindness due to the flash. When her vision cleared, dozens of stars and planets orbited the structure slowly, crafted from light yet still accurate to the real geography of the planets.

"Now that's _not_ what I expected!" she gasped. The planets displayed began to trace lines, possible paths, between the systems' sun and the planets that orbited them. '_It's our galaxy,' _Anders thought to herself. One of the planets blinked red. Though several were a faded shade of red or actively blinked as well, this one caught Anders' eye especially. '_Home!' _She realized, '_Is it in trouble?'_

"What is it, Professor?" Forge asked as he gave her a concerned look.

Ellen turned from the display to face the Sergeant. "The star-chart," she explained, "For some reason it indicated Arcadia."

"How can you tell?"

"Because it blinked red, Sergeant," she snapped. She tried to find their current position, and the planet soon spun by them slowly. Harvest was a dark, solid red.

"There's a lot of them blinking, Doc." the Sergeant pointed out.

"Yes, I see that," Anders thought quickly, "But Arcadia lit up first. I would think that indicates a certain level of urgency." She knew that to manipulate the mission was a risk, but the battle on Harvest was all but over. '_The UNSC can mop up whatever Covenant remain,' _she justified herself, '_but Arcadia needs help. Oh, father,' _ she suddenly worried, '_what if we're too late?'_

Forge shrugged. "Alright Doc," he said.

There was a slight pop of compressed gas, followed by the clear shatter of crystal. A Marine at the back of their formation went down with a grunt as pink shards scattered around his body. "Take cover!" Forge shouted. The other Marines, as well as Forge and the Professor, quickly ducked behind whatever they could find.

Anders watched as the star-chart quickly disappeared, Arcadia faded from sight with a final blink. She would worry about how to convince the Captain later; all that mattered now was to stay alive.

Forge searched frantically for his M6, the realized he had given it to the Professor. "Damn," he muttered as he glanced to his right. He caught the attention of a Marine, who nodded and tossed an M90 Shotgun Forge's way. "These guys just don't know when to quit!" he mused. The Sergeant caught the weapon with a smirk of satisfaction. _Time to play hardball, _he thought in amusement as he cocked it.

He ducked around the corner and fired into an Elite's belly. The big alien dropped dead on its ass. He continued to fire, and the shots either wounded or took down his targets. The ones he didn't kill he left. Without their shields they would fall quickly to the Marines' MA5B's.

His concentration broke as he heard a cry of pain. The Marine to his left clutched a pink shard that protruded from his chest. Forge dropped his gun and caught the Marine as he fell. He quickly pulled the shard out and tossed it aside. The shard shattered with minimal harm before it hit the ground. Under normal circumstances he would have left the object in place, but the Needler rounds always exploded after a few seconds, and either caused massive damage or death. He quickly grabbed a can of medigel from his belt and applied it, knowing that the Marine's lung would soon collapse. The foam quickly expanded into the Marine's wound and solidified to keep the wound sealed and sterile.

Another Marine fell, though the Needler round exploded before Forge could react. It tore the Marine's shoulder apart, bone and muscle exposed through the shredded BDU's.

"Uh, _Spirit_ this is Forge," the Sergeant shouted into his comm as the Marine beside him nursed his wound. "We're gonna need a little backup." He quickly swept up his shotgun, hoping that the call was received and responded to.

Anders looked at the Sergeant, fear and panic displayed plainly on her face. He hands shook as she held her weapon; she would be very lucky to hit anything. "Don't worry, Doc," Forge comforted, "they'll come. We'll make it."

He emerged from cover and continued to fire on the Covenant, with the faint hope that he was right.


End file.
